August 16, 1999

Making the News

The announcement of a Center for Adaptive Optics to be established at UCSC with funding from the National Science Foundation was covered by the Santa Cruz County Sentinel, the San Jose Mercury News, and local TV stations KSBW (Channel 8) and KION (Channel 46). Featured in the coverage were Chancellor M.R.C. Greenwood, UCO/Lick director Joseph Miller, and professor of astronomy and astrophysics Jerry Nelson, who will direct the new center.

The Sentinel also ran a front-page story about the Seymour Marine Discovery Center featuring the center's new director, Julie Barrett Heffington (see Appointments).

Shakespeare Santa Cruz's The Two Gentlemen of Verona continues to garner high praise from area theater critics, but perhaps the most notable of the multifarious stories to date is the one not only about but penned by one of the most popular stars of The Two Gentlemen of Verona. That would be Harry, the dog. Harry plays "Crab" in Two Gents. The acting debut of Harry, a four-year-old husky retriever mix, was so well received by San Jose Mercury News theater critic Mark de la Vina that he helped Harry tell his tale by holding the pooch aloft as it pounded out its story. Harry describes his role (one that he can really sink his teeth into): "All I have to do is look uninterested in Gregg Coffin, the actor who plays Crab's lowly master Launce." In his story, Harry speculates on what daring improvisational choices he might make: "I might even clean myself, but I'm saving that in case the crowd gets listless."

The Discovery Channel aired a documentary last month called "The Ultimate Guide to Dolphins," which featured Long Marine Lab's resident dolphins Primo and Puka and professor of biology Terrie Williams. The documentary was previewed in a 5-minute spot on NBC's Dateline program.

The San Diego Union Tribune ran a long and extensively illustrated story about research conducted by biologist Kevin Crooks in the ravines and canyons of urban and suburban San Diego County. Crooks and professor emeritus of environmental studies Michael Soulé, who is also quoted in the article, recently coauthored a paper in the journal Nature demonstrating the importance of top predators such as coyotes in maintaining the ecological balance in these isolated fragments of wild habitat.

An article in the Chicago Tribune about the baby beluga whale recently born in Chicago's Shedd Aquarium included extensive quotes from professor of biology Dan Costa, a well-known authority on marine mammals. Noting the low survival rates for first-time babies of marine mammals in general, Costa commented that producing milk for a new baby is the most stressful time physiologically in any female mammal's lifetime. "Ask any mother with a lot of kids; it's a lot of work," Costa said.

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